Distinctive Nissan GT-R Sought in Fatal Koreatown Hit-&-Run (VIDEO)

Graphic, disturbing video of the hit-and-run death of an elderly bicycle rider in Koreatown was released this week by LAPD (see it on the next page).

The 90-year-old victim, Joo Yoon, died at a hospital shortly after the April 27 collision, according to LAPD. The dash-cam video was released with the hope that someone might be able to lead investigators to the distinctive car involved -- a Nissan GT-R -- or its driver:

It's a fairly rare, $100,000, 200-plus mph car with a gray or gunmetal paint job and a white racing stripe that runs down the side, police say.

The collision happened at VirgilVermont and Sixth Street about 5:10 a.m. The bike rider appears in the video to have crossed on a red light, and the driver seems to have hit the gas on a green light.

However, leaving the scene of such an accident can be a felony. LAPD says:

The vehicle will have damage to the front bumper area and hood. A second vehicle of interest is a newer model, possibly an Audi (Black or dark in color).

Suspect is described as a male Asian, about 25 years old, black hair, brown eyes. He is about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 180-190 pounds. The driver of the car did not remain at scene to render aid or to identify himself.

Know who either of these drivers might be? Have you seen a Nissan like that around? Call traffic detectives at 213-473-0222.

[Added at 2:36 p.m.]: We talked to a couple experts who told us the GT-R comes in a limited number of stock colors and this one appears to have one of them: Likely "gun metallic," "super silver 3-coat metallic" or just "gray."

What's more, those distinctive white stripes? They're just decals that "can be taken off in 10 minutes," one expert, who didn't want his name used for fear of alienating customers, said.

Of three Nissan GT-R–specific tuner shops in Southern California we called, none recognized this particular one.

One expert said it didn't to appear to have the kind of aftermarket body parts that could make it truly distinctive.

Another said detectives already had called.

One thing probably is still distinctive about this coupe, however: It would have needed body work, and somebody could have seen it in a shop with the aforementioned damage.

Dennis Romero has worked on staff at several magazines and newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times, where he participated in Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the L.A. riots. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone online, the Guardian, and, as a
young stringer, the New York Times.